in this week’s quiz? You can show a bad hand via Lebensohl, but then
you’re up at the 3-level. I have no problem with this pass.

.

And what happened? 3 pairs stopped
in 2♦ (+1, = and -1). The two other N-S’s both went three down in 3NT.

The bottom lines: -

-You have
to be able to stop low when partner has reversed and you have a very weak hand.
The ‘best’ way to do this is to play Lebensohl. I.e. when partner has reversed
then you bid 2NT which asks partner to bid 3♣ which you pass or correct. Of course there’s the alternative of passing
the reverse but this only works if you have support for partner’s 2nd
suit and may fail if partner has a very big hand and you miss game.

-It’s up to
you if you play a reverse as 100% forcing. It’s generally played as forcing in
the US but not in the UK. I like to play Lebensohl but few in the club
play this over a reverse, so I have no problem passing with a hand that was not
worth an initial response.

-If you
think that you should not pass partner’s forcing bid then you have to have a
method of showing a very weak hand (such as Lebensohl). I assume that the two
players in 3NT had no such agreement.

Pass a forcing bid? – part
2Board
21 from Friday 5th

Dealer:♠KQ6WestNorthEastSouth(H)

North♥4-1♣pass1♠(1)

N-S vul♦ AQ1092♥3♦(2)passpass(3)

♣ AKQ763♥3♠(4)4♥4♠(5)

5♥dblall pass

♠AJ32N♠ 9

♥ AQJ1063WE♥ K985(1)What did you bid with this South hand H(a)

♦-S♦J8742in this week’s quiz? 3 points is not
normally

♣ 542♣
J83enough for a response. But I hate to pass 1♣

♠ 108754with a doubleton, especially when
playing

♥ 72a
short ♣. I bid 1♠.

♦ K653(2)A game forcing reverse.

♣ 109(3)What
did you bid with this South hand H(b)

in this week’s quiz? Game seems remote and I see nothing wrong with
passing.

(4)North
still thinks that there’s a game.

(5)So South reluctantly bid game knowing that there is a ♠ and ♦
fit.

.

And what happened? 5♥*-1 twice, 4♠-1 and 4♥=.

The bottom lines: -

-In my opinion it is allowable
to pass partner’s reverse if you did not have the values for your initial
response; this is especially true if you play Benjamin twos. Some will argue
with me, but I’m used to that and I can cope with them.

Raise of an overcall is weakBoard
2 from Friday 5th

Dealer:♠Q974WestNorth(E)EastSouth

East♥AKQJ9--passpass

N-S vul♦ J1♠2♥pass(1)3♥(2)

♣ K54pass4♥(3)all
pass

♠AK1062N♠
J83(1)I would
bid a (weak) 2♠ here.

♥ 74WE♥ 1082(2)This is a weak bid, with a good raise to

♦64S♦A9723♥
South would bid 2♠ - an Unassuming

♣
AQ106♣ 932Cue
Bid.

♠ 5(3)What did you bid with this North hand E in

♥
653this weeks quiz? You
should pass as South’s

♦ KQ10853bid is pre-emptive. North thought that South

♣ J87was inviting.

.

And what happened? North made up
for his sins by making the contract! At other tables the results were 4♠-4, 4♠-2
and 4♥-1. The bottom lines: -

-Direct
raises of an overcall are pre-emptive and weak, with a sound raise cue bid the
opponent’s suit – The Unassuming Cue bid.

-Note that
if East had bid 2♠ then 3♥
by South would not necessarily be weak and would cause problems for N-S.

Bid you hand in one goBoard 23 from Wednesday 3rd

If you can bid your hand in one bid, then it’s usually
best to do so.

Dealer:♠-Table
A

South♥AQ107632West(A)North(C)EastSouth

Love all♦ Q84---pass

♣ KJ31♠(1)2♥(2)2♠pass

4♠5♥dblpass

♠AKQ8543N♠ J965♠dbl(3)passpass

♥ -WE♥ J986redblall pass

♦AJ52S♦K103

♣
102♣ Q74Table B

♠ 1072West(A)North(C)EastSouth

♥
K4---pass

♦ 9761♠(1)4♥(2)dbl(5)pass

♣ A9865pass (6)pass

Table A:(1)What did you open with this West hand A in this
week’s quiz? This hand is 9 playing tricks and so a Benjamin 2♣ seems appropriate. If not playing Benjamin
then some will still open 2♣ (one trick short of game) but I would like a few more
points for a traditional 2♣ opening. So how
about 4♠? This has the great advantage of making it
difficult for the opponents but it would normally be a much weaker hand. So
what’s the solution? Actually a few guys in new York came up with it about 30 years ago – a Namyats
4♦ opening. This shows a good 4♠ opening (around 8½ playing tricks) and this hand – with the ♥ void, is ideal – tell partner about your great
♠’s and playing strength all in one go and make
it difficult for the opponents to come in with their ♥’s.

(2)What did you bid with this North hand C in this
week’s quiz? With this ♥ suit and ♠ void 2♥
looks a bit timid, I prefer the bid at table B

(3)I would never double with a ♥ void.

Table B:(1)This West again made it easy for the opponents
by opening just 1♠.

(2)This North
got question C right – bid the ♥’s
to the maximum and make it awkward for East.

(4)North’s
bid (and West’s opening) have completely fixed East. All he can do is double.

(5)Maybe
West should pull it, but he would not be in this predicament had he opened a 4♦ Namyats initially.

And what happened? 4♠** made exactly for 1000 and the top to E-W,
just beating the West who bid 6♠
and made it! 4♥ doubled went two down for a paltry 300 to E-W
and a clear bottom.

We saw last hand that North’s penalty double at (3) with
a void was not a success, but holding K109x in trumps against a slam it’s a
different story, isn’t it?

Dealer:♠K97532Table
A

West♥K1094WestNorthEast(B)South

Love all♦ 7--1♥(1)pass

♣ 841NT2♠4♦(2)dbl

4♥all pass

♠J108N♠ -

♥ 65WE♥ AQJ873Table B

♦A43S♦KQ98WestNorthEast(B)South

♣
KJ1097♣ AQ3--2♣(1)pass

♠ AQ643♣(3)3♠4♥(4)4♠

♥
2dblpass5♣5♠(5)

♦ J10652pass(6)pass6♣pass

♣ 6526♥(7)dblall
pass

Table A:(1)What did you open with this East hand B in this
week’s quiz? This hand is very similar to Hand A in that it also is also about 9
playing tricks with a good major and a void in the other
major. So a Namyats 4♣
then? I don’t think so – the reasons being that this major is only 6
cards and the overall point count (18) is much more. This 1♥ opening is fair enough if you don’t play Benjamin,
with a traditional 2♣ a reasonable
alternative.

(2) 3♦
is quite sufficient – I guess East did not want partner passing his forcing
bid?

Table B:(1)This was my choice of opening bid for question
B – a Benjamin two showing 8-9 playing tricks in an unspecified
suit.

(3)Showing a good hand with ♣’s.

(4)With known values opposite and a ♣ fit, East can
happily bid at the 4-level.

(5)Unwise, South has already bid his hand.

(6)Forcing

(7)West could pass, but 6♥ ‘scores more’.

And what happened? 6♥* made exactly for the E-W top, other results
were 6♥=, 4♥+2
and 4♥+1 twice.

The bottom lines: -

-Looks like
even K109x in trumps is not always good enough for a double.

Bid a 6-card minor or show a stopper?Board 25 from
Friday 5th

Dealer:♠KJ10932Table
A

North♥KQWestNorthEast(G)South

E-W vul♦ 873-2♠3♦(1)pass(2)

♣ 98passpass

♠54N♠ AQTable B

♥ J9875WE♥ 42WestNorthEast(G)South

♦QJS♦AK9652-2♠2NT(1)pass

♣ A754♣
J633♦(3)pass3♥pass

♠ 8763NTall pass

♥
A1063

♦ 104

♣ KQ108

Table A:(1)What did you bid with this East hand G in this
week’s quiz? Obviously this is quite sound but I prefer my partner’s bid at
table B.

(2) I would bid 3♠, but then I virtually always raise my partner’s pre-empt when holding
three trumps.

Table B:(1)This was Dave’s answer to question G, and I
totally agree. These ♦’s are great but perhaps even more important is
that lovely ♠AQ over the opener, and the ♦’s will be great in
NoTrumps.

(3)West decided he was going to game and so showed his ♥’s.

And what happened? 3NT made for the
E-W top. Other results were 3♦=, 4♦-1 and 4♠(N)-1.

The bottom lines: -

-If you have AQ over the
opener and 15-17 points, think NoTrumps.

Opening 1NT with a
singleton.

We have decided to change the club
rules here. A 1NT opening is now allowed with a singleton provided that it is
an ace or a king. Although I normally don’t give a hoot what the ACBL says, I believe that this is in line with
current ACBL guidelines.

Upgrade a hand with 4-card supportBoard 5 from Wednesday 3rd

Dealer:♠K8652Table
A

North♥2WestNorthEastSouth(D)

N-S vul♦ AQ53-1♠pass2♠(1)

♣ A85passpass(2)pass

♠10N♠ AJ9Table B

♥ K7643WE♥ QJ9WestNorthEastSouth(D)

♦KJ10S♦987-1♠pass3♦(3)

♣
Q632♣ J1094pass4♠(4)all pass

♠ Q743

♥
A1085

♦ 642

♣ K7

Table A:(1)What did you bid with this South hand D in this
week’s quiz? It’s pretty close but with 4 card support, decent top cards and
not totally flat I would make an effort with 3♠.

And what happened? The trumps did not behave,
but the ♦’s did so 4♠ made. Everybody made 10 tricks but
three bid as table A, just two bidding 4♠.

The bottom lines: -

-Upgrade a
hand with 4 trumps.

-Bergen raises are accurate and fun, but best left to experienced pairs.

Dave’s ColumnHere is this week’s Dave
input involving the play of the hand.

NorthSouthYou are South, declarer in 4♥. West leads the ♠K,Q
and a ♠

♠J52♠ 963♠ to East’s ♠A. At trick four East leads the ♦K, plan the
play.

♥ J109♥
AKQ75

♦ A942♦ 3

♣ Q87♣ AK32

Dave’s Column
answerBoard 11 from Wednesday 3rd

Dealer:♠J52WestNorthEastSouth

South♥ J109---1♥

Love all♦ A942pass2♥pass3♣

♣ Q87pass4♥all pass

♠KQ7N♠ A1084

♥ 642WE♥ 83

♦108765S♦KQJWest leads the ♠K and continues with the ♠Q

♣
J9♣ 10654and
a ♠ to East’s ♠A. East shifts to the ♦K at

♠ 963trick four. Plan the play.

♥
AKQ75

♦ 3

♣ AK32

Your only loser is the 4th♣. Given that you
cannot discard it on a side suit winner from dummy there are still three other
ways to avoid losing that card:

1.The suit breaks 3-3.

2.Draw two rounds of trumps and then play three rounds of ♣’s. If ♣’s are 4-2
and the player with the remaining trump(s) also has the 4th♣ you can
ruff the 4th♣ in dummy.

3.Discard the losing ♣ on a trump!

In order to do (3) you must ruff three ♦’s in your own hand
leaving dummy with one more trump than you.

Win the ♦A and ruff a ♦ high. Cross to the ♥9 and ruff a 2nd♦ high. Cross to dummy
with the ♥10 and ruff the last ♦ high (your last trump). Enter dummy with
the ♣Q and play the last trump. You have made your contract with 3 ♥’s, 3
ruffs, 1 ♦ and 3 ♣’s. A dummy reversal.

Did you spot how E-W can defeat the contract? A trump return at trick 4 removes a dummy
entry prematurely.

And what happened at the Pattaya Bridge
Club? 4♥=, 2NT=, 3♥= and 4♥-1 twice.

Dave’s 2nd
ColumnHere
is Dave’s second input involving the play of the hand.

WestEastYou are West, declarer in 1NT.

♠K752♠
AJ8North leads the ♣4 upon which South
plays the ♣Q which you

♥ QJ4♥ 10732duck. South continues with the ♣K which you again duck, North

♦AK3♦Q1084playing
the ♣3. South continues with a 3rd♣ which you win.

♣
A102♣ 96What do you discard from dummy and what’s your plan?

Dave’s 2nd
Column answerBoard
12 from Wednesday 27th

Dealer:♠1043WestNorthEastSouth

West♥ A961NTall
pass

N-S vul♦ 62

♣ J8743North leads
the ♣4 upon which South plays the

♣Q which you duck. South continues with the

♠K752N♠ AJ8♣K which you again duck, North playing the

♥ QJ4WE♥ 10732♣3. South continues
with a 3rd♣ which you

♦AK3S♦Q1084win perforce.

♣
A102♣ 96

♠ Q96What do you discard from dummy and
what is

♥
K85your
plan

♦ J975

♣ KQ5

Not only must
you count your tricks in a no-trump contract, you must count theirs.

You have 6
sure tricks: 2 ♠’s, 3 ♦’s and a ♣ with the possibility of one extra trick in every suit except ♣’s.

But what do
they have? They have two ♣’s already as well as two more ready to be taken. They also own the
two top ♥’s for a total of 6 tricks.

The whole
hand is a battle for the 7th trick. Don’t give it to
them by either finessing the ♠ or trying to drop the ♦J. Play the suit in which they have sure
tricks - ♥’s.

Discard a ♥ from dummy
and lead a ♥ honour. If North wins and cashes two ♣’s you can throw two ♠’s from
your hand and two ♥’s from dummy.

Assuming a ♠ switch,
win the ♠A and lead the ♥10 driving out the ♥K and establishing your ♥J as the 7th trick.

Hand A:4♦, Namyats, showing a good 4♠ opening. A Benjamin (or even standard) 2♣ are possible but I much prefer to show the
suit straight away and make it difficult for the opponents to find their ♥’s.

Hand B: 2♣, Benjamin. The difference between this hand and hand A is that this
suit is only six cards, the hand is playable in three suits, and the point
count is higher. You need at least a 7-card suit for a Namyats 4♣/♦.
If you don’t play Benjamin then I guess you have to open 1♥ and hope for the best, it’s a bit weak for a traditional
2♣ in my style.

Hand C: 4♥. Make it difficult for LHO. It’s a bit good for 3♥ and 2♥
makes it too easy for the opponents.

Hand D: 3♠, just. It’s very close between 2♠
and 3♠ but the 4th trump and no quacks
outside trumps swing it for me.

Hand E: Pass – partner’s 3♥ bid is weak/pre-emptive.

Hand F: (a)1♥. I hate to pass a possibly short ♣ as there may well be a better spot. Of course
I would not argue if you did pass.

(b)Pass.
The reverse is forcing of course but you did not have the values for your
initial response. If you play Lebensohl here you can bid 2NT and stop in 3♦ if partner has a minimal reverse, but you may
be too high.

Hand G: 2NT. This ♠AQ cries out for a NoTrump bid – bid 3♦ and you will never play in a NoTrump contract.

Hand H: (a)pass or 1♠. I personally hate
to pass a possibly short ♣ as there may well
be a better spot and I bid 1♠. Of course I would
not argue if you did pass.

(b)Pass.
The reverse is game forcing of course but you did not have the values for your
initial response. Be happy that you have found a fit at a low level.